Reunion
by sol-li
Summary: When Kagome mysteriously vanishes for a few days, Inuyasha goes through the well to search for her. What he finds on the other side is a strange group of humans that will test him as he has never been tested before...
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE  
  
*  
  
The inhabitants of a certain small village had gotten used to the half-demon Inuyasha in the past year.  
  
For five decades, he had been a tale to frighten little children with -- a violent, malevolent half-man, half-demon, with fiery eyes and razor-sharp claws, who had slain their beloved priestess, tried to steal the Shikon Jewel and laid waste to the village. During those fifty years, he had been pinned to a tree by a sacred arrow, apparently dead.  
  
Now he was not only free, but they had gradually grown used to him. As time went by, they grudgingly accepted that he hadn't killed the priestess, nor was he violent if he was left unprovoked. Certainly not evil.  
  
He could, however, be very short-tempered.  
  
*  
  
"What's TAKING her so long?" Inuyasha shouted. He leapt onto the rooftop, staring into the dense tangle of trees and vines. He could smell her scent winding off into that forest, in the direction of the dry well.   
  
"She's only been gone a day and a half," Shippo said, idly licking a lollipop. "You didn't get upset when she was away for that whole week."  
  
"She's supposed to tell me!" Inuyasha said heatedly. "When she has those exam things, she's supposed to tell me before she does it." He clamped a clawed hand on Shippo's small red head. "And what are you doin', following me around?"  
  
"Keeping an eye on you," Shippo said placidly. "Kagome told me to."  
  
"Well, you get that eye off me."  
  
"How about the other one?"  
  
"That one too."  
  
Shippo pondered this for a moment, then held out his sticky lollipop. "Want some? I got plenty."  
  
"Shut up and get lost, short stuff."  
  
He hunched over, glaring at the trees, as if they might spit Kagome out at any moment. It annoyed him that she was always scooting back to her own era, claiming that her schoolwork was more important than finding more jewel shards. He had been there once or twice, but there weren't that many things that were different. Not to his eyes, anyhow.  
  
What did she need that school for anyhow? He had seen it. She sat on her backside in a cramped little desk, listening to a middle-aged human drone on about things that Inuyasha couldn't even understand.  
  
And always lingering at the back of his mind was another fear, that somehow she wouldn't be able to return. He just hated seeing her jump down and vanish. One of the worst moments of his life had been when he saw her face vanish into the darkness, betrayed and shocked.... because he had thrown her down.  
  
He draped his long legs over the rooftop, letting his bare feet hang over the edge. Shippo pranced over to him on his tiny fox feet, hopped onto his shoulder.  
  
"Didn't I tell you to get lost, squirt?" Inuyasha said tersely.  
  
"Yep, but Kagome still told me-"  
  
He didn't have time to jump away as a clawed arm shot out toward him. Shippo squealed as Inuyasha slammed him down headfirst into the rooftop. "I don't care what she told you," Inuyasha snapped. "I want you gone. I need to be by myself."  
  
Shippo glared resentfully at Inuyasha, rubbing a grubby bruise on his cheek. "She's not gonna come back just because you want her too. If you're so worked up, why don't you go get her yourself?"  
  
"Shut up. No way I'm gonna go beg her," Inuyasha said sharply. "Get that through your tiny head." He leaped down onto the ground and vanished into the forest.   
  
Shippo frowned and wandered away, licking his lollipop. Inuyasha always got grumpy when Kagome was away.   
  
Sango and Miroku were playing a checkers game that Kagome had given them, behind an old barn, and from the look on Miroku's face, Sango was beating him. Again. Shippo sat down on a bale of hay and watched placidly as Sango collected several of Miroku's pieces.  
  
"I'm not sure why you won't play against Shippo," Miroku said finally.   
  
"Because whenever I do, you come up to advise me, and you start stroking my legs," Sango said flatly. "Why can't you be more like Inuyasha and not grab every woman you meet?"  
  
"Look at Inuyasha," Miroku said with a sly smile. "He doesn't get much joy out of life, does he?"  
  
Sango pursed her lips. "King me."  
  
"I'd love to."  
  
Shippo wasn't sure what they were talking about, but he was fairly sure they wouldn't explain it to him "until you're old enough." He took the lollipop out of his mouth. "Miroku, Inuyasha's in a bad mood."  
  
"He's always in a bad mood," Miroku said, reluctantly placing one of his captured pieces onto Sango's king.  
  
"I asked him why he didn't go get Kagome, and he said 'no way,'" Shippo continued. "Why won't he go?"  
  
Miroku smiled. "Leave Inuyasha alone for an hour or two, and I promise you, we'll have news of Kagome before too long. You know how he is. Paranoid about showing concern."   
  
"King me," Sango said again.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	2. Reunion Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE  
  
*  
  
He glanced around the clearing. No one in sight. His dog ears pricked as he listened carefully for any sounds that might mean humans were nearby. Specifically, humans from that little village where Old Kaede lived.   
  
When Inuyasha was satisfied that no one was near, he leaped down into the well.  
  
There's no way you can just leave without telling me why! he thought angrily.  
  
A tingle passed through his body as the well faded around him, surrounded by a wall of stars that seemed to stretch forever. He took a deep breath as the walls of the well appeared around him again, and he landed lightly on the dirt floor.  
  
"Back in her era," he muttered.  
  
He listened for a moment. It was quiet. Too quiet, he thought, frowning. He could smell a lot of people nearby, which wasn't surprising, since Kagome lived at a shrine. But he could also smell that horrible, nauseating smell -- auto exhaust, she had called it. Taking a shallow breath, he leaped up out of the well, and landed lightly on his toes on the top of it.  
  
After peeking out to make sure no one was around, he ran swiftly across the courtyard to the trim little house where Kagome lived. "Lived" was a rough term, he thought, since she spent more than half her time travelling with him.  
  
The house was silent. Inuyasha frowned at that. Usually someone was home -- that little brother of hers listening to that musical contraption of his, or her mom doing chores and cooking, or that crazy coot of a grandfather bustling around talking to himself. SOMEONE was usually here, but it looked empty.  
  
He wandered into the living room, looking around. It was almost unnaturally neat and tidy. "H'lo?" he called.  
  
Then he sniffed the air. She was here. Somewhere close by.   
  
And so were onions.  
  
Inuyasha coughed a little and rubbed his nose. She was in the kitchen, he'd bet.  
  
He crept over to the kitchen door, his bare feet staying silent on the floor. The sound of a knife chopping reached his ears.  
  
Inside, he could see Kagome. She was at a cutting board, chopping onions at a furious pace. She was wearing some very neat, new-looking clothes that he hadn't seen her wear before, and a ragged apron. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail. She wiped her eyes and kept chopping.  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted.  
  
Kagome froze for a moment. The knife dropped from her hand. Then she turned around and rushed toward him, with a strange intense look on her face. Inuyasha was caught off balance as she grabbed the front of his clothes, pushing him backward into the broom closet. She was forcing him backwards hard enough that his kimono was yanked open to the waist.   
  
"Ka-Kagome," Inuyasha said, flustered. "What are you-"  
  
Her only response was to slam the door shut and squeeze up against him.  
  
Inuyasha's heart was in his throat. He'd occasionally had dreams about Kagome, dreams that left him sweaty, ashamed, and usually unable to look her in the eye for several hours. But in his dreams, she hadn't been this aggressive. And none had involved a broom closet.   
  
"Don't make a sound," Kagome whispered, at about where his ear would have been if he had been human.  
  
Inuyasha was desperately trying to think of what to do next. Aside from what Miroku would do in his place. "K-Kagome... we shouldn't be... I mean, we can't... not in-"  
  
She slapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
Inuyasha's ears pricked up at the sound of voices. Two women. They were laughing and talking about food. As the voices faded away, he felt Kagome relax; she took her hand off his mouth.  
  
Inuyasha slowly pulled his clothing shut. "So... uh, you just wanted me to hide?" he said slowly.  
  
He couldn't see her very well, but he could tell she was annoyed. "You had your mind in the gutter again, didn't you?"  
  
"Did not."  
  
"Then what exactly did you think I was gonna do?"  
  
"Hey, you're the one who jumped me and pulled my clothes half off," Inuyasha snapped. "And threw me in here, and started pressing up against me. What was I supposed to think you wanted me to do?" Trying to regain the lost shreds of his dignity, he straightened his clothing. "So it's not my fault if I thought you wanted me to..." He stopped as a blush spread over his face.  
  
"You're blushing, aren't you?" Kagome said. "Look, I had a very good reason for pushing you in here. And not that one, for your information." She opened the door and stepped out.  
  
Inuyasha rubbed at his cheeks, trying to erase his blush. "Yeah, I just bet you did. I'm here to bring you back."  
  
"No you're not."  
  
"Kagome, you didn't even tell me where you were going. I'm not about to let you just LEAVE me like that!"  
  
"Well that's too bad! Because I'm not about just go off with you, and do whatever you want, when I have something REALLY important to do! You'll have to wait a few days!"  
  
"And what if I don't?!"  
  
"Inuyasha, I've taken basic astronomy, and I can tell you a scientific fact. You are NOT the center of the universe."  
  
"Hmph. Maybe I'll just carry you off," Inuyasha snapped.  
  
"Maybe I'll just say a certain word if you try it," Kagome snapped back.  
  
"Kagome?" a voice quavered. "Is that that your boyfriend in there with you, dear?" A little old woman appeared in the doorway, with her wrinkled face in a smile.  
  
Inuyasha's golden eyes widened. Who the hell was that?  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	3. Reunion Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO  
  
*  
  
"Who the hell is that?" Inuyasha said in a low voice. The old woman was staring at him curiously, but seemed unfazed by his appearance. Her thin gray hair and lined face made him think briefly of Kaede -- but this woman was far, far older.  
  
Kagome tried to smile. "Uh, great-grandmother, I was just - I mean, I was going to introduce -"  
  
"Is this your boyfriend, dear?" The wrinkles in the old woman's narrow face grew more pronounced as she smiled.   
  
"Yes, he is," Kagome said quickly.  
  
"I am n-" Inuyasha's protest was cut short as Kagome's hand shot into his mouth, between his fangs. He stopped, glowering at her. But if he spoke, he would end up biting her fingers.   
  
"- so thrilled to be here," Kagome finished. "He's looking forward to meeting everyone here. I've been telling him about the reunion for weeks."  
  
Inuyasha shot her a venomous look.   
  
"Oh, that's so nice," the old woman said amiably. "So glad he could join us. And so glad he is so patient with you, what with your health being what it is. I'll see you both at dinner."  
  
"Yes, of course," Kagome called. As the old lady drifted away, Inuyasha grabbed her wrist and yanked her fingers out of his mouth. "Whadja do that for?" he hissed.  
  
"I had to claim you were my boyfriend," Kagome said in a low voice. "This is exactly why I was trying to keep you hidden! I've been trying to get back to the well for the past couple of days-"  
  
"Well, if she saw me, then it's a bit late, ain't it?"  
  
"No, it ain't," Kagome said darkly. "Great-grandmother is blind as a bat. She has the worst eyes I've ever seen. Forget dog-ears -- you could have been wearing antlers and a clown nose, and she wouldn't have noticed. Unfortunately, the rest of my family isn't as myopic as she is." She reached up and tweaked one of his pointed ears, getting a growl in response.   
  
"Now listen," she continued. "I didn't know this was going to happen -- there was going to be a family reunion elsewhere, but there was a fire at the reception hall where it was scheduled to be. So it had to be done here at the last minute. Mom and Grandpa were going to claim I was too sick to come, but they can't really excuse away my disappearing entirely from my own home."  
  
"Ya could've come through the well and told me!" Inuyasha snapped.  
  
"I wanted to, believe me! But every time I finished one chore, there were fifty others waiting. I can't get a moment to myself, let alone creep off down the well without someone seeing."  
  
"So didja have to claim I was-"  
  
"I'm sorry, but it's the only way. What could I say -- 'Great-grandmother, this is dog-boy from the feudal era'?" Kagome avoided his eyes. "And now they're going to be expecting you at dinner, because Great-grandmother will tell everyone about Kagome's first boyfriend."  
  
"First?" Inuyasha said blankly.   
  
Kagome flushed. "Can we avoid that topic? She's always asking about it when she sees me."   
  
"Fine. But now that I'm done with this little episode, can I leave?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because if you aren't there, then they're going to ask a LOT of awkward questions. So you better be ready to eat at five."  
  
"Are you kiddin' me?" Inuyasha exploded.  
  
But Kagome was looking out the door. "Eep! They're coming back." She seized Inuyasha's shoulders and wedged him back into the broom closet, before leaping in after him.  
  
"Not this again!" Inuyasha said a little too loudly. He tried to wriggle away as Kagome pressed up against him, and made a concentrated effort at ignoring her hip right against his.  
  
"Shut up! They'll hear you!"  
  
Inuyasha squirmed, feeling himself blush. "If I have to be in here, could ya at least not rub against me like that?" he grunted.  
  
"I am not rubbing against you. You're rubbing against me. I know you don't like this, but you'll have to put up with it! Now hush!"  
  
"I DO like it! That's the problem!"  
  
Now Kagome could feel herself blushing. She backed as far away from Inuyasha as she could without opening the door. He, in turn, seemed to be trying to press himself against the back of the broom closet. And as the sound of voices faded away, she stepped out backwards, allowing Inuyasha to slither out.  
  
"You were rubbing against me," Inuyasha said, smoothing his scarlet clothes. "And look, if you're gonna get all prissy, then don't start doin' that to me!"  
  
"Me? Prissy? You're the one who started saying we shouldn't be in there!"  
  
"Anyway, I am not attending your family reunion. Got that? And there's no way you can make me!"  
  
Kagome clenched her teeth, in an expression that Inuyasha knew all too well.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	4. Reunion Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE  
  
*  
  
"Explain to me again why I have to wear this stupid thing," Inuyasha said, pointing at the baseball cap on his head.   
  
"It's either that or Sota's cowboy hat," Kagome said, straightening the hat. Inuyasha wasn't an inconspicuous figure at the best of times, with his flame-red clothes and long silver-white hair. And, of course, the dog ears. But putting him in modern Tokyo, in a baseball cap... well, he was more than just a curiosity. He'd be even worse in the cowboy hat.  
  
"Now remember," Kagome said slowly, leaning against the kitchen door. "Do not take your hat off, do not hit anyone, and above all, don't talk too much about yourself. I'll explain that you're not from here and you don't speak our language well, so just sort of mumble incoherently if anyone asks you awkward questions. Got it?"  
  
"Yeah." Inuyasha frowned and touched the cap. "How do I look?"  
  
"Like a samurai rocker, but we won't worry about that," Kagome said.   
  
"Whatzat mean?"  
  
"Never mind." She threw the door open. "Now be strong. Into the lion's den!"  
  
"Hey!" was all Inuyasha said before she pushed him into the living room.  
  
*  
  
The room was full of humans. Men, women, children -- old and young. Little kids scampered around underfoot, while old men and woman sat in folding chairs, nibbling on bits of food. Most of them were talking, but conversation stopped when Kagome and Inuyasha came into the room. Kagome made a timid little wave, then tried to pull her arm away from Inuyasha's. A brief shoving match ensued.  
  
Inuyasha stayed close by Kagome's side for most of the dinner, fiercely glaring at anyone who eyed him strangely. Which meant most of the people there.   
  
One older human man in particular was watching him; he was sort of haggard-looking, and almost as tall as Inuyasha. "Ignore Uncle Toshi," Kagome whispered.   
  
"But he's lookin' at me," Inuyasha replied, biting back a growl.  
  
"Look, it's not important. Just calm down." Kagome poked him in the stomach. "And remember, no hitting ANYBODY."  
  
"No matter what?"  
  
"Okay, you can hit if it's a matter of life or death. But I don't want anybody killed here if it's avoidable!"  
  
"I wouldn't kill him."  
  
"Inuyasha, just simmer down."  
  
By the time Kagome's grandfather and great-grandmother came over, Inuyasha found himself wishing Kagome had left him in the broom closet.. The old lady actually bumped into him, before smiling warmly and asking, "Now, you're little Kagome's young man?"  
  
Little? She was half Kagome's size. "Yeah," he said a beat too late.  
  
Kagome's crazy grandfather gave him a sharp look, but fortunately kept his mouth shut. "What was your name again, dear?" the old lady continued.  
  
"I didn't tell ya to start with," Inuyasha said.   
  
Kagome elbowed him in the side. "Play nice," she whispered. Then she said quickly to the old lady, "His name is Inuyasha."  
  
The old lady's half-blind eyes turned to Inuyasha's face. He flushed a little as she stared intently at him, even though he knew she couldn't see much about him. "What an interesting name, dear," she said. "So glad you could be here."  
  
"Pleasure's all mine," Inuyasha mumbled.  
  
"Don't strain yourself," Kagome said.  
  
When Kagome's mother brought out the food, Inuyasha half-dragged Kagome into the dining room. He tried to jam his face close to Kagome's, but the bill of his cap got in the way. "This is hell," he said in a low voice. "I wanna go to your room."  
  
"Don't let Uncle Toshi hear that."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He... well, he was kind of a ladies' man when he was young, and um... Mom says he kind of..." Kagome was openly blushing. "He thinks you're, uh, just trying to get to me. Like Miroku would."  
  
Inuyasha looked torn between shock and outrage.   
  
"Don't get worked up! He's just being protective," Kagome said, seizing his sleeves.   
  
"I'll give - him - protective!" Inuyasha said, straining toward the door. It had been a rotten day, but this was the last straw.  
  
"Sit!"  
  
Inuyasha barely had time to yell, "Hey!" before slamming face-first into the floor.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	5. Reunion Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
*  
  
The sound of scuffling and scrabbling came from inside the kitchen. Several cousins, aunts and uncles glanced at the door as Kagome's voice rang out, "Sit!" There was another crash.  
  
"That isn't good," a great-aunt said mournfully. "They don't seem to be getting along too well, do they?"  
  
"Oh, he's much nicer than he seems at first," Mrs. Higurashi said, pouring herself some punch. "He and Kagome get along very well, I think. They've had some disagreements, but they always patched them up in the end." She watched as Uncle Toshi ducked into the kitchen, then emerged looking grudgingly satisfied.  
  
"Are you sure he's... well, suitable?" her sister Azuna asked dubiously. "He seems rather rough. And that hair -- those clothes -- he wasn't wearing shoes, either."  
  
"He's a rather unique young man," Mrs. Higurashi said, smiling. She didn't say much more than that for the rest of the evening about Inuyasha.  
  
When Kagome and Inuyasha emerged from the kitchen, Inuyasha was scowling and clutching a cup of instant ramen. Kagome straightened his cap and whispered something to him. "I am not," Inuyasha growled in response.  
  
"Just go sit down, you," Kagome said, pushing him in the direction of the couch.  
  
Inuyasha and his ramen retreated to a corner of the room. He glowered at Kagome from under his baseball cap. Somehow she always seemed to get the better of him in these fights, especially when she chose to "sit" him. She does it for fun, he thought. I just know it.  
  
A woman sat down beside him, smiling in what she apparently thought was a pleasant manner. "Hello there."  
  
Inuyasha just stared at her.  
  
"I was wondering if I could speak to you about Kagome."  
  
"Meanin' what?" Inuyasha asked flatly. He glanced around as a few other aunts, great-aunts, and other female relatives gathered around him.  
  
"Well, partly to do with you," Azuna said, patting him on the shoulder. "Kagome's a sweet child, but she hasn't said much about you to anyone else in the family. I'm really curious to know more about you -- are you a nice boy?"  
  
"No," Inuyasha said bluntly.  
  
An uncomfortable silence fell. "You're not?" Azuna asked.  
  
"Just ask her," Inuyasha said darkly, pointing at Kagome. "She'll tell you all about it."  
  
He choked on a mouthful of ramen as Kagome swooped down on the couch. "Aunt Azuna!" she said with a smile. "He didn't quite understand what you meant -- he was answering literally. He means he's hard to deal with. Which he is." She rumpled his white hair, earning a glare from him. "She means, are you like Miroku?"  
  
"No!" Inuyasha shouted, jumping to his feet. Kagome pushed him back down, and retreated to speak with her mother.   
  
By the time their talk was done, Inuyasha was starting to look outright panicked. Kagome pulled him away from her aunts, great-aunts and cousins, and headed for the kitchen. He followed all too eagerly, glaring back at Azuna as if he thought she had tried to trick him.   
  
*  
  
"Your family is nuts," Inuyasha said, falling back on Kagome's bed and hugging his knees. When the sun had set, most of the relations had left the house, threatening to come back tomorrow.   
  
"At least nobody in there turns into a giant homicidal poodle," Kagome said, rifling through her underwear drawer.  
  
"At least I know what to do with a giant homicidal poodle," Inuyasha said darkly. "I can't do that to them. Especially that uncle of yours."   
  
"Just don't take it so personally." Kagome pulled a nightshirt and bathrobe out of her closet. "He thinks all boys are like that. Stop growling -- I know perfectly well that you're not. In fact, you're too much the reverse."  
  
"What does THAT mean?"   
  
"It means that you act like a total cold fish."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Oh, please!" Kagome slammed the closet door shut. "Every time you've looked at me in the hot springs, it was by accident. You don't even try to look."  
  
Inuyasha was staring at her now. "What are you saying? So you mean you WANT me to look when you're naked?"  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"So what gives? Then what do you want? You want me to look when you're naked, but you don't want me to look."  
  
"You could at least PRETEND to be tempted by the idea! I'm not that bad-looking, am I?"  
  
Inuyasha flushed, avoiding the question. "So what, you want me to be more like Miroku?" he asked, disgusted.  
  
"If it means admitting a little temptation, then yeah! I don't want you to actually BE like him, but -- oh, you just don't get it!"  
  
"Do you want me to ask you to have my baby too?"  
  
The word "sit" was clinging to Kagome's lips, but she swallowed it with an effort. Inuyasha was bracing himself on her bed, clearly expecting to crash down any second now. "No," she said slowly and deliberately. "I just would like you to occasionally treat me a little differently. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a shower. And don't you dare leave this room until I get back!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	6. Reunion Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
*  
  
Kagome sighed as the hot water poured over her hair and bare back. Showers were a luxury she had learned to appreciate whenever she came home, complete with shampoo and bath gel. Even hot springs didn't measure up to this sort of feeling.   
  
The thought of hot springs made her grimace again. Sometimes Inuyasha could just be so unbearably dense -- especially when it came to her feelings.  
  
I know he's still infatuated with Kikyo, she thought, but does he have to ignore me completely? I mean, I'm practically identical to her... physically, anyway. On the inside, we couldn't be more different, even if we do share a soul. Shouldn't I be at least a little attractive to him?  
  
Well, he had gawped a few times, when he HAD seen her naked. He'd forgotten about the jewel one time. But one of those times, he had just announced, "I got NO interest in lookin'!" But then, he'd gotten all flustered in the broom closet...  
  
Maybe I'm just fooling myself, she thought, lathering her stomach and back. But it WOULD be nice, after all we've been through, if he would at least say I was pretty.  
  
The soap squirted out of her hand. As she groped around to pick it up, her foot slipped.  
  
*  
  
Inuyasha didn't understand women. Or more precisely, he didn't understand one in particular.  
  
He huddled up on Kagome's bed, crossing his arms on his knees and staring moodily out at the darkening sky.  
  
He wished Kagome weren't so hard to figure out. Kikyo had been hard to figure out too -- now that she was one of the living dead, perpetually angry, she was even more difficult -- but at least that had been a distant kind of complexity. On the other hand, Kagome just confused him at times. Sometimes she could almost read his mind, and he could almost read hers; at other times, it was like she was speaking another language. Those encounters usually ended with "sit!"  
  
Why can't she be more like Sango? Inuyasha thought. He wasn't attracted to Sango, but at least she had a straightforward kind of personality. He had once asked Miroku why Kagome could be such a mystery to him, and Miroku had offered the helpful answer, "Women will always be a mystery to us men." Great line, but it didn't tell Inuyasha what to do.  
  
He stretched out on her bed, keeping his ears pricked for that annoying uncle of hers.   
  
Kagome was really pretty, yeah. And contrary to what she thought, he was a little tempted whenever she was wearing one of those tiny tight things she swam in. But that sorta stuff, he thought, resting his head on his arms, is what separates me from Miroku. No way am I gonna be like a pervert monk...  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp squeal and a crash.  
  
Inuyasha was off the bed in a moment. "Kagome!" he shouted, bursting into the hall.  
  
At the sound of running water, he burst into the bathroom. Kagome shrieked as his hand closed on the shower curtain. "Don't! Don't touch it!" she shouted.  
  
Inuyasha yanked his hand back. "But I heard you --"  
  
"I slipped on the soap and hit my head. I'm fine." Kagome peeked around the curtain.   
  
"So what, you want me to leave?" Inuyasha leaned over to where Kagome was peeking at him. "Are you sure you're ok-"  
  
Before Kagome could answer, Inuyasha froze at the sound of a footstep in the hall. Behind him loomed Uncle Toshi, with a long wooden stick in his hand.   
  
Behind the curtain, Kagome switched off the water and huddled naked at the edge of the tub. She could hear Inuyasha yelling in outrage, and the sound of toothbrushes clattering to the floor -- he'd probably jumped on the sink. "Don't hurt him!" she shouted. "Don't kill him! Uncle Toshi, give Inuyasha a minute to explain!"  
  
"Just try that again, you old FREAK!" Inuyasha shouted from somewhere in the hall.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	7. Reunion Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX  
  
*  
  
Kagome wrapped the ice cubes in a washcloth and pressed them to the bruise on Inuyasha's temple. "How are you feeling?" she asked.  
  
"I hate that guy," was all he said.  
  
Kagome sighed and sat down on her bed. Her uncle, upon hearing her scream and finding Inuyasha in the same room with his nude niece, had chased Inuyasha around the house with Sota's baseball bat. The half-demon had managed to dodge him for awhile, until her uncle got a lucky swing at his head and smashed him into the wall.  
  
Kagome had quickly donned a towel and run out to calm down Uncle Toshi. She got out just as a desperate Inuyasha leaped into her room and locked the door. She found him sprawled face-down on her bed, where he stayed as she dressed.  
  
"Well, I appreciate what you did very much," Kagome said, patting his shoulder. "Especially since you didn't wreck anything except that picture frame you hit with your head."  
  
"That was his fault."  
  
"I know, I know." Kagome put the icepack on Inuyasha's head. "Well, Mom has calmed him down and given him some tea."  
  
"Is that door locked?" Inuyasha asked, raising his face from her pillow.  
  
"Yes, it is." Kagome sat down by the window and opened a book. "Well, most of the people have gone to hotels for the night, so we can have a little peace."  
  
"Until that lunatic uncle of yours comes at me again."  
  
"Inuyasha, I don't think he's going to try to kill you again. Not after Mom and I explained to him."  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha winced.  
  
Kagome didn't answer. Inuyasha glared at her for not comforting him further, then curled up on her bed and stared at the wall. Finally she looked up from her book and announced, "The reunion ends tomorrow night, you know. Then things go back to normal, if we last just one more day."  
  
"That's still too long!" Inuyasha protested.  
  
*  
  
The sunrise spilled red light over the half-sleeping city of Tokyo. It also kept people in the streets from seeing a fleet-footed, red-clothed figure darting around over the rooftops.   
  
"That old idiot," Inuyasha mumbled, jumping lightly from the roof. "All I did was go in to see if she was okay. If she isn't hitting me with rocks, her crazy relatives are hitting me with sticks."  
  
He'd spent a restless night on the rooftop of Kagome's house, wishing he could sleep on the couch. But the couch was currently occupied by the despised Uncle Toshi and his wife.  
  
He swung down into the kitchen -- and almost fell over. Instead of Kagome or her mother, a round little woman with thick glasses was puttering around. She looked up at him, squinted, and smiled. "Well, hello there," she said. "You're here quite early -- looking forward to more of the family get-together, hmm?"  
  
Inuyasha hated lying. He made a noncommittal grunt.  
  
"I'm Kagome's Aunt Mai, so feel free to call me Aunt Mai too." She ushered him to a chair and put a coffee cup in front of him. Inuyasha wasn't sure whether he should address her as "Aunt Mai," so he simply said nothing. The idea of addressing this stranger the way Kagome did made him feel vaguely nervous. After all, she wasn't HIS aunt.  
  
She talked enough for at least two people, prattling about places he had never been and people he had never met. He managed to choke down a few mouthfls of coffee before making his escape.  
  
Sota was kicking a ball around the hallway. A fat pug was following after him, sniffing his sneakers. "Hi!" he said brightly.   
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Um, could you do my sister a favor?"  
  
Inuyasha gritted his teeth. "Like I haven't done plenty for her already. Is your uncle around?"  
  
"Nah, he went out with Mom for more groceries. Aunt Mai is supposed to be babysitting."  
  
I should just jump down the well right now, Inuyasha thought, crossing his arms. Just then, Kagome came in with a light bulb in one hand. "Oh, there you are," she said. "Could you give me a hand in here?"  
  
A few minutes later, Inuyasha hoisted Kagome on his shoulder. She quickly unscrewed a light bulb, with her legs dangling down his chest. Just then, Inuyasha felt something nudging his leg. It was the pug.  
  
"It's Aunt Mai's dog," Kagome said. "Just ignore him and he'll go away."  
  
Inuyasha tried to ignore the pug, but it jumped up on his leg, making him wobble dangerously. Its wrinkled face split in a wide grin. Inuyasha grimaced, tightening his grip on Kagome's waist.  
  
"Get lost!" Kagome called, almost dropping the light bulb. "Get down, doggie! Sit-"  
  
Kagome realized her mistake just as she crashed into the floor, with Inuyasha landing heavily on top of her. "Would you PLEASE be a little more careful with that?" he snapped.  
  
"Okay, I will. Sorry," Kagome said. The pug licked her face, as if agreeing.   
  
Inside the baseball cap, Inuyasha's ears pricked up. He looked up from Kagome's face to the doorway, where a stone-faced Uncle Toshi and curious Mrs. Higurashi were watching.  
  
Sota wandered in, licking a lollipop. "What's going on?" he asked mildly.  
  
"We were changin' a lightbulb," Inuyasha said, scrambling off of Kagome. Uncle Toshi's gaze followed them as Kagome dragged her oddly-dressed boyfriend into the kitchen.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Well now, how about some lunch before the others arrive?"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED. 


	8. Reunion Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
*  
  
"Dog!"  
  
"Shut up, kid."  
  
"Dog!"  
  
"Get lost. I mean it!"  
  
"Dog!"  
  
"Go AWAY!"  
  
"DOG!"  
  
Inuyasha gritted his teeth. He had only been at the last day of the Higurashi family reunion for ten minutes, and this baby was following him around. The kid had seen his ears when he was putting on his hat, and now he wouldn't go away. "Dog!" the little boy said, pointing at Inuyasha's head.   
  
"Kid, I mean it -- get lost!" Inuyasha snapped.  
  
Kagome took his arm and guided him firmly into the living room. "Don't let Hoji bug you. He's only one, after all. If you don't let it get to you, people will just think he's pretending."  
  
Inuyasha barely heard her. As they walked through, he could feel eyes watching him. He glared back at three or four girls, just a little older than Kagome. They were watching him intently and whispering, and he didn't like it.   
  
"Relax," Kagome said. "They're not suspicious, Inuyasha. Those distant cousins of mine think you're good-looking." She drew closer and held his arm tighter. "This isn't some kind of battle. You don't need to flip out every time somebody looks at you."  
  
"That's because usually when someone looks at me, they're about to do or say something stupid." Inuyasha avoided looking at those girls again. He couldn't remember anyone staring at him for that reason. He flushed as one of them giggled.  
  
When it came time for lunch, Inuyasha flinched.  
  
"What's the matter?" Kagome whispered.  
  
"I can smell the food from here."  
  
"So what? You usually smell food."  
  
Inuyasha clamped his mouth shut.   
  
"Inuyasha, would you come with me, please?" Kagome said. She wasn't giuving him a choice -- as she asked, she was dragging him to the kitchen. Inuyasha followed her, glaring back at Hoji, who was following them.   
  
When the door swung shut behind them, Kagome asked, "Is there something wrong with the food? And why are you taking off your hat?"  
  
"My ears itch," Inuyasha said, rubbing his ears. "And it's SPICY."  
  
"Your ears?"  
  
"The food! The food is spicy; I can smell it."  
  
Kagome winced. "I hadn't thought of that. Aunt Mai does tend to cook very spicy stuff. Um, okay, you don't have to eat any if you don't want. I can sneak something up to my room sometime soon."  
  
Before Inuyasha could reply, the door began to shift open.  
  
"Hide!" Kagome said, pushing him backwards. Before Inuyasha could protest, she had jumped into the broom closet with him, and pressed him against the back of it with her own body. Inuyasha closed his eyes. "Do we have to do this again?" he mumbled.   
  
"Shh!" Kagome whispered.   
  
"But I-"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
A creaky voice said faintly, "Hello? Is Kagome in here? I could have sworn I heard her saying something to that nice young man in here..."  
  
Inuyasha could feel himself growing warm all over as Kagome leaned on him, with one hand pressed to his mouth. "K'gome," he mumbled. "Please can I get-"  
  
"Shh," Kagome said again, pressing harder on his lips. "It's great-grandmother, but I don't know if she's gone..."  
  
Inuyasha tried not to groan. Kagome slowly moved back and prodded the door open a crack. "Clear," she said, relieved.   
  
"Geh yo finhas ouha ma mou."  
  
"Huh? Oh, sorry," Kagome said, hastily pulling her fingers from Inuyasha's fangs. "Sorry about that. I didn't nudge you in too hard, did I?"  
  
"Yes!" Inuyasha snapped. "In all the wrong places." He frowned and jammed the cap down over his ears. He just wished it could cover his flushed face as well. "I wish you'd stop that," he grumbled, stalking out.  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome's voice stopped him, with one hand on the door. She sounded gentler, softer than she had since he had arrived. "I just wanted to say thanks. I know you're really freaked out by this, and you're handling it really well. Thanks... for not leaving me in the lurch."  
  
She took his arm again, as they went out for the food. Suddenly Inuyasha fell to his knees, gasping and clutching at his nose.   
  
"I probably should have mentioned the incense Aunt Mai likes to burn during meals," Kagome said, kneeling beside him. "If it's any comfort, I think it smells bad too."  
  
"Dog!" announced Hoji, patting Inuyasha's head.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	9. Reunion Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
*  
  
Kagome really did feel sorry for "that nice young man." He was making a genuine effort to appear normal and polite, even though her aunts kept giggling and patting his head. Judging from the grinding of his fangs, she was betting that he hated being patted. Almost as much as he hated the stifling, heavy, thick, dusty smell of incense, or the very spicy food he was nibbling on.   
  
Hoji had been removed by his harried-looking mother, still chanting "Dog! Dog! Dog!" all the way.   
  
"I never want kids," Inuyasha mumbled.   
  
"Oh, come on," Kagome said. "Hoji's okay. He's just a little kid."  
  
"At least Shippo shuts up when I hit him."  
  
"I told you, no hitting unless it's a matter of life or death. And no hitting little kids at all."  
  
Inuyasha retreated into silence, eyeing the food quietly. Aunt Mai noticed his expression and shoveled more onto his plate. He hoped those thick glasses meant that her eyes were bad, and she couldn't see him flinch. "Have more, dear. I made plenty."  
  
Inuyasha had been smuggling most of his food into his napkin, but the middle-aged human was obviously not going to stop staring at him until he ate some. Steeling himself, he picked up some spiced fish and popped it into his mouth, hoping that it wasn't as painful as curry.  
  
It was like eating a flaming coal. Inuyasha resisted the urge to spit the mouthful back onto his plate. Tears rose in his eyes, and his fists began shaking, rattling the dishes in front of him.  
  
"Do you like it?" Aunt Mai asked eagerly.  
  
Inuyasha managed a nod. He grabbed an almost-empty glass of water and swallowed the contents, washing away the burning. Then it returned, spreading over his lips, tongue and throat like burning oil. He almost banged his head on the table, hoping that he could tough it out. But he felt as if he were going to faint.  
  
"Well, that's nice," Aunt Mai said, sounding very far away and very chipper. Inuyasha had to remind himself about Kagome's no-hitting rule. "I'll be sure to give Kagome the recipe for you."  
  
Inuyasha had been suffering for a few minutes when he felt something cold and damp being pressed into his hand under the table. He glanced to the side, breathing hard. It was the weird old priest, Kagome's grandfather. And he was pushing a glass of water into Inuyasha's hand, still staring ahead as if nothing were going on. Inuyasha gratefully swallowed the water, gasping for breath.  
  
"I don't like her cooking either," Grandpa Higurashi mumbled.  
  
Inuyasha rubbed his tongue with a napkin. "Mah tug huts," he agreed.   
  
*  
  
The sun was dipping lower in the sky, but the relatives seemed unwilling to go home just yet. And Kagome knew that if they delayed much longer, she was going to have an insane half-demon ricocheting around, operating on a head injury and too-spicy food.  
  
Inuyasha was at her side, crouched on a folding chair, sucking on a popsicle. "You didn't say anything about poisoning myself," he was announcing loudly.  
  
"You're not poisoning yourself," Kagome said, yawning. "It was just spicy. Not horribly spicy either."  
  
"Speak for yourself." Inuyasha gloomily surveyed the twilit courtyard. A cool breeze was blowing, taking away some of his discomfort he was feeling. He glanced around at the people chatting and laughing, often carrying their dinner plates with them. It was kind of peaceful.   
  
He glanced at Kagome, considering a certain idea. Slowly his arm began to creep across the back of her chair, brushing over her shoulder. She seemed unaware of the demon's movements until his hand touched her upper arm. Then she sighed and said, "Don't."  
  
Inuyasha looked slightly hurt. "Why not?"  
  
"Because Uncle Toshi is watching."  
  
Inuyasha yanked his arm back, and resumed his gloomy surveying of the relatives. He wanted to go home, and he planned to once they all left. And Kagome was coming with him -- oh, she owed him big-time for this...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	10. Reunion Chapter 9

CHAPTER TEN  
  
.  
  
Ramen... no, not that. He already had it too often for it to be much of a treat. Potato chips? Maybe. A period with no "sits" whatsoever? He might like that...  
  
Kagome sighed heavily. Inuyasha wasn't an easy person to buy gifts for. He wore just about everything he owned, and the modern food she could provide for him.... well, it didn't really seem like enough to make up for this whole miserable trip.   
  
"When the hell are they all leaving?" Inuyasha grumbled.  
  
"I'd say once the drinking contest is over," Kagome said, squinting at a bunch of her relatives. "I'd ask if you want to join them, but no offense, I don't want you getting drunk."  
  
"Sounds like a good idea to me."  
  
Kagome gave him a light punch in the arm. He really was doing his best to tough it out, she thought. And he was doing it for her sake. "Well, just suffer for another half hour-"  
  
Suddenly a scream rang out.   
  
Inuyasha automatically sprang to his feet, looking around. "What the hell?" he whispered.   
  
Then he saw it: a tiny figure staggering on the rooftop, silhouetted against the twilight sky. It was a little girl, no more than three. She was clutching on to the drainpipe as she stumbled up the roof on her chubby baby legs, from the balcony outside Kagome's house. A bunch of obviously terrified women were standing below her, pleading with her not to move.   
  
"Inuyasha, quick!" Kagome cried.  
  
Inuyasha raced over to the side of the house and began rapidly climbing up the drainpipe. He didn't dare jump up; even if nobody noticed, he didn't want to startled the kid. After a moment he slithered onto the rooftop, only a few feet from the little girl.   
  
She stared at him with wide dark eyes, sucking on her fist. She didn't seem TOO worried about where she was. "Come on, kid," Inuyasha said, stretching out his arms.   
  
The little girl shook her head.  
  
One of the women shrieked as Inuyasha sprang forward and pounced on the little child. A moment later he reappeared on the edge of the rooftop, clutching the drainpipe in one hand, and the struggling, wailing toddler in the other. Almost effortlessly, he swung down onto the balcony and into the window.  
  
The toddler's sobbing mother scooped her out of Inuyasha's arms and began berating her whining child for getting up on the roof. The half-demon brushed off his sleeves and stalked away, as the women tried to tell him how brave he had been. But he wasn't interested. The kid was safe -- even if she'd gotten a few good kicks at his ribs while he dragged her down. And at least this whole messy trip hadn't been a total waste.  
  
Then Kagome rushed over to him. "Inuyasha, that was amazing!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Kagome gave him a quick hug. "That was my cousin up there!"  
  
"Oh, uh," Inuyasha said, somewhat startled. "Well, it wasn't nothin'. I mean, it wasn't that hard for me to get her down."  
  
"Still," Kagome said warmly, "thanks."  
  
She caught his baggy sleeve and tugged him toward the house. "Come on, let's go see if there's any leftover dessert."  
  
Inuyasha smiled a little as Kagome opened the door. Maybe this wasn't such a horrible trip after all, he was thinking...  
  
When suddenly he doubled over and sneezed.  
  
"I'll put out the incense," Kagome said hastily.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	11. Reunion Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN  
  
.  
  
"This whole trip has been hell ever since I came in," Inuyasha said, taking his feelings out on the dishes. Kagome was washing, and he was drying, and all he could do was wipe the hell out of those glasses.  
  
"Well, you can relax now," Kagome said. "Everybody's left, and we just need to help Mom clean up."  
  
"Then how come I can't take off my hat?"  
  
"Because somebody will have forgotten something," Kagome said patiently, "and come back to get it. You can take off your hat when we leave tonight."  
  
"Hmph." Inuyasha began furiously wiping off a giant platter with very bad grace. "I might never come back to this-"  
  
"Shh!" Kagome said. She was suddenly listening, with a look of frightened alertness on her face. Then she dropped the plates into the sink with a loud splash. "Quick! Come with me!"  
  
Inuyasha barely had time to groan before Kagome wedged him into the broom closet, and wedged herself between him and the narrow door. As she wriggled and squeezed, trying to get the door shut behind her, Inuyasha could feel a familiar blush spreading over his face. Not to mention the rest of him -- even though the room was cool, he was starting to overheat.   
  
"K-Kagome," he said feebly. "I-I don't-"  
  
"Shh!" Kagome hissed.  
  
Inuyasha fell silent as two other voices came from the kitchen. One was Kagome's mother -- and the other was Uncle Toshi. Aw, dammit, Inuyasha thought. Why can't that idiot go home and stop buggin' me?  
  
"... glad to know she's all right," Kagome's mom was saying. "I can't imagine how she got onto that rooftop."  
  
"Well, her mother was more scared than she was," Toshi grumbled. "Don't know where she gets that from -- she didn't get it from me."  
  
There was a long pause. "Did you hear who it was who got her down from the roof?" Kagome's mother asked lightly.  
  
"Yeah, I heard," Toshi said darkly.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I suppose he isn't all bad."  
  
Inuyasha almost choked. Not ALL bad? he thought furiously. He wanted to spring out and... well, do SOMETHING bad. But Kagome had him firmly pinned inside the cupboard.   
  
"He's very nice. I think you underestimate him, Toshi," Kagome's mom was saying.  
  
"Don't you believe it," Toshi said darkly. "All boys like him are alike."  
  
That does it, Inuyasha thought. If he doesn't go soon...  
  
But the sound off footsteps showed that Uncle Toshi and Kagome's mother were leaving. After a few minutes of silence, Kagome kicked the door open, and a let a flustered, flushed, and very annoyed Inuyasha out. "You should be flattered, Inuyasha," Kagome said, straightening her clothing. "That's the nicest thing he's ever said about a boy."  
  
"I guess," Inuyasha said grudgingly. But he was still glad that Toshi hadn't found them in the closet...  
  
.  
  
"Now can we go?" Inuyasha shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Just a minute." There was the sound of grunting and stumbling from upstairs, and Kagome finally staggered out with a backpack that looked nearly as large as she was.  
  
"Didja just pack your stuff, or did you wad your brother in there too?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically.   
  
"Ha ha." Kagome shifted her backpack higher on her shoulders. "I have a lot of needs -- especially since we won't be coming back for a while."  
  
"And am I thankful for THAT," Inuyasha growled. "You owe me big-time for this!"  
  
"I've been thinking about that." Kagome paused outside the little shrine-house, and let Inuyasha take her heavy backpack. "So I packed some ramen in there for you. Boy, was it hard to find enough room!"  
  
Inuyasha stared at her. "RAMEN?" he asked, sounding increasingly outraged. "For everything I've gone through?"  
  
"Actually, the ramen is just a bonus," Kagome said.  
  
"Oh yeah? Then what did you decide on."  
  
"No you-know-what commands for a week."  
  
Inuyasha stared at her in silence for a moment. Then he said in a low voice, "You're kiddin' me."  
  
"No, I'm not. An entire week, and no matter what you say or how much you bug me, I won't say it."  
  
"And what if you forget?"  
  
"Then the week starts all over again." Kagome paused. "Is that enough to make up for the past couple of days."  
  
Inuyasha mumbled an agreement. "Let's go," he said, grabbing her backpack. "The others are gonna be waiting for us. And Kagome..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"WARN me next time!"  
  
THE END 


End file.
